'Eat a variety of foods', or dietary diversity, is widely recommended to promote a healthy, nutritionally adequate diet and reduce risk of major chronic diseases.

However, recent evidence from observational studies suggests that greater dietary diversity is associated with suboptimal eating patterns, particularly when the diversity is reflected by a higher intake of processed foods, refined grains, and sugar-sweetened beverages instead of minimally processed foods, such as fish, fruits, and vegetables.

Based on the current state of science on dietary diversity, it’s appropriate to promote a healthy eating pattern that emphasizes adequate intake of plant foods, protein sources, low-fat dairy products, vegetable oils and nuts while limiting consumption of sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, and red meats.